Camera support



March 8, 1955 L w. MINNas CAMERA SUPPORT Filed June 15, 1954 lfb.

INVENTOR.

LUTHER l/V. /W//wv/s United States Patentfce 2,703,691 hPatented Mar. 8,l 1

.2,703g691 CAMERA s'UliPo'RT rather W. Mining, ssn Remnant), cant. Application aune '15, 1954, Serial No. 436329 6 Claims. (Cl. 24Bit-4161) This invention `relates 'to 'camera supports, and lmor'e particularly to extensible camera supports.

An object Aof this invention-is folprovide afc'a'rnera support which is compact and readily and ieasily portable.

Affurther 'object of this inventionis to provide afcamera fsupport of the above character which is sturdily constructed Ato provide rigid and steady V'support feria camera.

A `further object-of :this invention 'is 5to provide acarn- 'era support having 'rneans ifor-pivo'ta'lly securing fa camera adjacent 'one end thereof, a 'telescopi-ng Ileg extensible from fthe `other end "thereof, vmeans locking the eamera securing means and the leg in position relatveio the 'remainder of the lsupport and 'means Vfor releasing ithe locking means incident Vto repositioning lof fthe 'locks able elements.

A'fu'rther object -of 1this invention fis to prov'ideia camera. ysupport of 'the Iabove eharacterwhich has a single control Sadapted ffo'r -actuatlion by the hand in which ithe support 'is `held and for releasing the camera securing means -for positioning same while simultaneously releasing the 1telescoping leg in order that same may be drawnloutwardly ifrom or pushed into the member 'for '-'receivn'g seme,-eitl1er under the force of gravity or otherwise.

`Other objects of the invention will lbe yapparent 'to those lskilled rin lthis `-art from the Efollowing "description taken in conjunction 'with the accompanying fdra-wing in which:

Figure '1 is a view in perspective of a camera 'support Vembodying 'this invention having 'means adjacent one emil Ithereof in engagement with -a camera; i

Fig. -2 is la ffragmentar'y 'view in longitudinal Across'- `has acylindrical section of maximum diameter :exten mg fr'om end 1'4 of sleeve '6 (shown in dot-'dash linesjin lPig. 3) '-to shoulder face -15 ispaced"therefrorn, ia Ise lof freduced diameter extending vfrom ,shoulderacle 15 to shoulder *face 16, and fa portion of smallest ter 'twhi -h extends'fromadjacent face 16 Ito1en`d-17 of sleeve l6. As shown, the v-`-latte`r portion 'of the Vaxial bore is adapted ijto snugly receive Yaiportion-o'ftu'be4. An anniilarg'ove .18 fis .provided in the Wall `-of 'this v@portion 'of fthe bore @intermediate the 'ends fthereof. {As y'shovv'rr-most iclearly -infFigf-'bul'ged or flared-portion '19 of LVJtube fico-operates 4with annular :groove 18v to join v sleeve `6 to tube 4 *with fshou'lder jfvace 16 "flush -with 'end face '20,

y A radially projecting 'post VV21fisiirinlysecured to ball -11 l'as `indicated in Fig. 2. A socket lmay 'be provided inball 11 adapted to -receive 'a'root portion '21 of post"f2l, `rpressed, screwed, orfotherwise vfirmly secured herein. :portion of '.post 21 'adjacent-'the -free end thereof is pre1 ividediwith threads 'Iadapted 'to coopera'te with -the ltripod 'socket 'of 4camera 2 and nut 22 provided fto function as a stop shoulder or lock lnut engageab'le with camera 2 '1ro flock it in iixed position relative to post 21. Thus, post 21, `camera 2, and vball v11 may be fjo'ined together rigidly. =I .prefer to provide `lateral slots 23 adjacent tend 12 ito perrnit xpost 21 to vswing to fa position perpen- .dicular v1o #the axisofsleeve `5 as shown in Eig. '1. Post-21 section of the device `illustrated in Fig. l and taken/'along In Fig. l of the drawing a camera support 1 is sho'wn in vertical or 'erect lposition with acamera 2 secured to the upper end thereof. Support 1 has abody "or frame 3 comprising a relatively thin-walled, tubular central portion 4 provided with reinforcing sleevelike en'd por- ...7;

'tions S and 6. An axial bore extends through sleeve v5.

From end 7 to shoulder face 8, the ybore vis adapted to snugly receive a portion of tube 4. lFrom face 8 to inwardly projecting lip 9, the bore is of larger diameter 'to Iprovide a cavity or socket 10 adapted to receive ball 5 or sphere 1'1. Adjacent end 12, `the bore is constricted by lip 9 to a diameter less than the diameter o f the bore adjacent end 7. Before sleeve 5 iss'ecured Vtotube 4, ball 11 is 'inserted from end 7 through the axial bore in'to position in cavity 10 adjacent lip 9.. Tube '4 is then 5.1.. inserted vbehind ball 11 `until its end 13 vprojects al short distance into cavity portion 10. While sleeve Sand tube 4 are so positioned, tube 4 adjacent yend 13 thereof is vflared to lock sleeve 5 in position. Ball 11 is preferably harder `than sleeve 5 or tube 4, and, as shown, ball 1 1 and tube 4 may be `of equal outside diameter. rIf desired, J ball 11 may be Vforced against end 13 to Iila'r'e tube 4'which with lip 9 then serves yto retain ball -11.4in cavity 10. L 4

As shown in Figs., `1 and '3, sleeve 6ha`s an raxial bore which, prior to complete assemblyof thecameraspport,

5may "be swung through 'an are or fat --least A186 from fthe .position shown fin yfull :lines to Athe position "shown -in -dash lines in Fig. 1 vand through '-'a slightly 'smaller when it contacts *lip 9fa`t the fends thereof. i

Ball clamping :member 24 is reciprocably received Tin `the bor'e'tube '4 -and adapted to be urged against ball F151 for clamping fsarne between flip `9 and the seat-'likefend fface x25 'of member 24 toclamp ball and post 21 in posiftio'n relative :to trame as desired, v #An Aaxial bore J2li extending Iinto member 2'4 fromend -27 thereof -is 4adapted tofreceive aportion of `apertured 'tongue'.28 with elongate aperture 29 Itherein fin zregistry with elongate 'slot-like apertures 30 vand 31 disposed diametrically opposite xeach other Jin 'member 24 :and `aperture 32 in framef -S 'shown most 'clearly `in Figs. 2 'and 4, apertures 29, "30 and 31 are adapted to receive roll 33 and one arm 134 of *crank 1'lever .35 inserted =through aperture v32,' Troll -33 being disposed `between and engageable in rolling acon- .face 37 'of icrank :35. Notch 38' provided 'in fcr'a'nkr'35 is adapted to co-operate with end wall 39 of aperture S30. End Wall orface 39 serves as afulcrum 'for 4crank lever l35l and as shown in 4Pig. 2, Jmay 'be of 'cylindrical form- Notch 38 also ltro-roperates with lmernber 24 Vto aretain `arm r34foffc1anl lever 35 .in operativefrelationlwith roll 33 and ffulc'rum :face 439. Tongue 28 :has an enlarged annu*- Zlar .shoulder '40 adapted to be joined to 'elongate ltubular member 41. As shown in Fig. 2, shoulder "40 may have 'an annular `groove '43 into which a portion of tubular member V41 maybe pressed `to ei'ect rigid 'unitary inte`r- Ploclcing fo'f vthe two parts. Helical 'spring 42 *encircling 'tongue 28 'between shoulder 40 and member y.24 vibas its ends respectively in labutment with shoulder face S40 and fend vface 27 of member 24. When, fa's shown in Fig. 2 vand described above, the various parts are so assembled, spring 42 is under -compression and tends "to 'urge :tongue 28 and member 24 toward separation. Tongue 28 and member 24 may 'be Itelesco'pi'cally drawn `more closely together to vfurther compress sprin'g 24 between faces '40' and 27 by swinging crank 'arm 46 toward the rpo'sition of -parallelism'with body 3 shown l-i'ndt'it-dash lines in Fig. ,22.

Tubular extension leg 48 is `telescopica'lly received in the 1bore -of member '41. `Leg 48 yhas an foutwardlyfared flange -49 'adjacent -one'of its ends. 'Flange 49 coloperates with the wall of the 'bore in member 41 Atohc'ildlegffin alignment lwith member 41. A tubular wedge ming or lcollar l5,0 comprising a plurality of annularly spaced segf ments 50 (shown `most clearly in tFig. 5,) has -an axial bore extending therethrough adapted to .slidably receive leg `'48, ladjacent .end y52 thereof. v.Adjacent end 5.1,o`f wedge ring collar 50, 'an enlarged sectionof said .axial bore is adapted 'to receive ya portion of Vtubular member 41. 'segmental ve'd'g'e collar 50 Vis Acylindrical tdjae'et end 51 and tapers frusto-conically to end 52 from the groove 53 is provided in the wall of the bore of collar 50 for receiving and co-operatively engaging outwardly ared frusto-conic end ange 47 on tube 41. The groove l'S3-has afrusto-conic wall 54 adjacent end 51 and a at wall 55 perpendicular to the axis of collar 50. A second .annular groove is-provided in the wall of the bore in to abut shoulder face when bushing 57 is in position in sleeve 6. The axial bore of wedge bushing 57 comprises a frusto-conic portion and a cylindrical portion adjoining the small end thereof. As shown in Fig. 3, an annular shoulder 59 is provided in the bore of bushing 57 adjacent thin end 59 thereof, adapted to co-operate with f the external conic face of wedge ring 50 to wedgingly urge segments 50 into frictional gripping relation with leg 48 when ring 50 is advanced into bushing 57. In Fig. 3, the co-operating frusto-conic faces of ring 50 and bushing 57 are shown inclined to the axis at an angle of approximately 11 which I have found works well. Leg 48 and means for locking same relative to frame 3 may be assembled as follows, after member 24 and spring 42 are in place in frame 3, as described above. Tubular member 41 may be partially inserted into frame 3, tongue 28 end rst, with a portion adjacent vilanged end 47 projecting therefrom. Leg 48 is inserted into the bore of tubular member 41, flange 49 end first. Split ring 56 is slipped onto leg 48 and segmental tubular wedge ring 50 assembled with conic ilange 47 in co- `operative engagement with V-groove 53 and spring 56 received in the annular groove provided therefor in segments 50'. Bushing 57 may then be slipped onto leg 48 and advanced to encircle and embrace a portion of the frusto-conically tapered portion of wedge ring 50. The assemblymay be slid into the position in frame 3 (shown in Fig. 3) and retaining lip 60 turned or formed to hold Wedge bushing 57 in permanently fixed relation to the reinforcing sleeve portion 6 of frame 3. Leg 48 may be pressed further into frame 3 with its end ange 49 abutting end face 62 of the base of tongue 28 to advance tongue 28 through helical spring 42 into the bore of member 24 until apertures 29, 30, 31 and 32 are in registry. Roll 33 and arm 34 of crank 35 may then be inserted as described above. A suitable tip such as the cuplike, resilient crutch tip 61 may be provided on theend 4of leg 48.

Actuation of lever 46 in co-operative relation to ful- -crum 39, from the spring biased position shown in full lines toward the position shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 2, effects telescoping of tongue 28 into member 24 to move member 24 and segmental wedge ring 50 toward each other. The telescoping movement continuing as edge face 34 is moved into operative engagement with face 32 which functions as a second fulcrum4 for crank lever 35 to effect positive movement of segmental wedge ring 50 toward the upper end 12 of frame 3, whereby leg 48 and ball 11 are released, the movement of segmental wedge ring 50 toward end 12 being less than the relative movement of member 24 and ring 50 toward each other.

It may be noted that when member 41 is moved further away from bushing 57, yilange 47 co-operates with wall 54 of V-groove 53 to urge collar 50 to expand adjacent end 51 as it is drawn away from bushing 57. Thus collar 50 is urged to expand by ange 47 and split ring spring 56. Lever 46, when released, moves toward the full line position shown in Fig. 2 as member 24 and collar 50 move\ further apart into locking engagement with ball 11 and leg 48, respectively. It may be noted that as member 41 advances toward bushing 57 it exerts a substantially straight line thrust parallel to the axis of collar 50 through abutment of flange 47 against face 55 of IV-groove 53.

In use with camera 2 attached, the support 1 may be held in erect position, as shown in Fig. 1, by one hand which simultaneously grips lever 46 and frame 3 adjacent thereto with camera 2 at the desired height above the surface upon which the support is to be supported, i. e., the ground, oor, or other surface. Camera 2 may be held with the other hand while lever 46 is squeezed towardframe 3, 1eg`48 and ball 11 are released to permit Y leg 48 drops under force of gravity into engagement with the support surface. Release of lever 46 locks the several parts in the desired relationship. To retract leg 48 and position camera 2 for carrying, lever 46 need only be actuated and frame 3 lowered until leg 48 is in retracted position as ca mera 2 is moved to desired carrying position and thereafter, lever 46 may be released to relock the parts in the carrying relationship.

Conic end ilange 49 is larger in diameter than the axial bore extending through collar 50 between wall 55 of V-groove 53 and end 52 of wedge ring 50 and thus engages face 55 to preclude movement of leg 48 into inoperative relationship with wedge collar 50 as by complete withdrawal from the body 3.

Having described the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art, that various modifications and changes may be made in the illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention.

Therefore, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters iPatent is:

- 1. For a camera, an extensible support comprising a frame, a swingable camera post mounted adjacent one end thereof, a leg member telescopically extensible from the other end, an actuating lever, means for clamping said vpost and said leg in xed relation to said frame, said clamplng meansbeing connected to and adapted to be released by actuation of said lever, whereby a camera may be supported as desired.

2. A camera support which comprises an elongated body member, a camera bracket pivotally mounted at one end of said body, a support leg telescopically connected to the body and extensible from the other end thereof, locking machanism engageable with the bracket, locking mechanism engageable with the leg, and a hand operated lock release connected to both locking mechanisms for releasing and actuating said locking mechanisms in unison.

3. For a camera an extensible support comprising an elongate hollow frame, a camera post pivotally secured adjacent one end of said frame and adapted for firm engagement with a camera to be supported, a post securing member reciprocable longitudinally of said frame for releasably securing said post against pivotal movement relative to said frame, an elongate leg member telescopically received in said hollow frame and extending longitudinally from the second end of the frame, said leg member being longitudinally reciprocable relative to said frame, leg gripping means adjacent the second end of said frame for releasably gripping said leg member to preclude movement thereof relative to said frame, means resiliently urging said post securing member and said leg gripping means toward gripping position, and a lever operable to release said post securing member and said leg gripping means in unison whereby said camera post may be swung into a position as desired and said leg member positioned in an extended position as desired and locked in the desired positions when said lever is released.

4. A camera support in accordance with claim 3 characterized by the fact that said leg gripping means comprise a segmental wedge collar reciprocable relative to a wedge bushing secured in said hollow frame in cooper alive relation to said collar, and means for reciprocating said collar into and out of gripping relation to said leg.

5. For a camera an extensible support comprising an elongate hollow frame having a retaining lip adjacentone end of the bore therein, a sphere in said bore adapted to co-operatively contact said retaining lip, means for securing a camera in ixed spaced relation to said sphere, an annular shoulder spaced from said lip in said bore, an extensible leg telescopically received in said bore, and clamping means adapted to co-operate with said shoulder to clamp said leg while simultaneously clamping said sphere against said lip, resilient means biasing said clamping means toward clamping relation, and means `for moving said clamping means into non-clamp ing relation with said leg and sphere to permit repositioning of said sphere andsaid leg relative to said frame.

For a camera an extensible support comprising an elongate frame having a longitudinal bore extending therethrough, a pivot member disposed therein adjacent one .end thereof, camera mounting means secured to said pivot' member and projecting beyond the adjacent end of said support, a telescopically extensible leg member received in said bore with a portion of said leg pro jecting from the second end of said bore, a pivot clamping member reciprocable in said bore, leg clamping means including a reciprocable actuating member, resilient means urging said pivot clamping member and said reciprocable actuating member to advance toward said pivot member and said second end of said bore to eiect clamping of said pivot member and said leg in fixed position relative to said frame, a lever adapted for moving 10 and holding said reciprocable members against the urging' of said resilient means to release said clamping means while said pivot member and said leg are positioned relative to said frame.

References Cited in the fle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 431,036 Dawson July 1, 1890 

